Improvement in musical tops



C. GERNERT. Musical Tops.

No. 20|,l06. Patented March 12,1878.

NFETERS. FHOTO-LITHQGRAPMER, WASHINGTON, D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES GERNERT, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO ELIZA OAKFORD, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN MUSICAL TOPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 201,106, dated March 12, 1878 application filed June 27, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES GERNERT, of the city and county of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Musical Tops, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of the lower part of the top, the upper part being removed to show the interior parts. Fig. 2 is avertical section through the middle ofthe top. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of Fig. 1, showing the connection of the worm shaft I with the wheel H of the musical cylinder.

Like letters of reference in all the gures indicate the same parts.

My invention consists in the combination of a musical box with a spinning-top, in the manner hereinafter described.

A represents the case of the top, which I make of sheet metal, or any other suitable material. B is the spindle, which has a foot, C, made of leather or other material. D is the musical comb. E is the sounding-board, which I make in either fiat, dished, or hollow form, as may be desirable. G is the striking-cylinder, having on one end a toothed wheel, H;

which gears into the vertical worm-shaft I. On the upper end of said shaft I is a toothed wheel, H. The spindle B is provided with aV block, J, made of india-rubber or other suitable material. It projects outward from one side of the shaft, so that its projecting end may strike the points of the teeth of the wheel H at every revolution of the spindle, whereby to give a partial turn to the worm-shaft I, and thereby produce the requisite movements of the striking-cylinder by its geared connection therewith, so as to produce the music until the top ceases spinning. The object of making the striker J of an elastic material is to prevent it making noise, which would interfere with the music. Projecting' upward from the upper side of the case A is the stud K, with which any suitable device is connected for spinning the top.

I am aware that I am not-the first to make a musical top; but I am not aware that any has been constructed essentially upon the plan I have hereinbefore described.

I claim as my invention- 1. The musical top hereinbefore described, provided with spindle B, having a striker, J, arranged to operate in combination with the striking-cylinder G, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of the worm-shaft I, having a toothed wheel, H', with the toothed wheel H of the cylinder G, and with the spindle B, having a striker, J, substantially as set forth.

3. The spindle B of a spinningtop, having a foot made of leather or other material of an elastic nature, substantially as and for the purpose Set forth.

CHARLES GERNERT.

Witnesses:

STEPHEN Us'rIcK, CARRIE M. BEWLEY. 

